Blueberry plant named &#39;FCM14-052&#39;

ABSTRACT

The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM14-052’ is provided. ‘FCM14-052’ is a commercial variety intended for the hand harvest fresh market. The new blueberry plant originated from a cross of ‘FL01-06’ (female parent, not patented) by FL06-556 (pollen parent, U.S. Pat. No. 27,771). ‘FCM14-052’ selected because it flowered and fruited more than most genotypes in a low latitude, zero chill evergreen production system and had large fruit with a small picking scar. ‘FCM14-052’ also produces significant numbers of flower buds in a zero chill climate, resulting in a concentrated harvest window.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/761,783 filed on Apr. 5, 2018, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

None.

Latin name of the genus, and species: Genus—Vaccinium.Species—corymbosum.

Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the varietydenominated ‘FCM14-052’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinctcultivar of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. hybrid)plant, referred to as ‘FCM14-052,’ as herein described and illustrated.The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM14-052’ was selected in Tala City,state of Jalisco, Mexico in 2014. ‘FCM14-052’ is a commercial varietyintended for the hand harvest fresh market. The variety has medium-highvigor, ripens in a more concentrated manner at the same time as thevariety ‘Biloxi’, and produces a medium to large berry with goodfirmness, and a small picking scar on fruit derived from the currentseason's growth. ‘FCM14-052’ was selected for use in an evergreenproduction system in areas where zero effective chilling hours may beaccumulated. The growing region of Jalisco, Mexico where ‘FCM14-052’ wasoriginally selected is located at 20°39′40″ N, 103°4′35″ O, 1310 metersabove sea level. In this region, temperatures range from 43° F. to 92°F. and are rarely below 36° F., and day lengths only vary from between10.8 hours in December to 13.2 hours in June. Under these conditions,many traditional low-chill blueberry varieties (developed in latitudes25°-35°) do not produce flower buds or flowers. In the case of blueberryvarieties that do flower under these conditions, the flowers areproduced primarily on the current season's growth that is often referredto as a ‘primocane’ in the blueberry industry. The ‘primocane’inflorescences tend to be very elongated in form compared to theinflorescence produced at higher latitudes from dormant buds, and thefruit often does not abscise well from the pedicel, resulting in a largepicking scar which greatly limits shelf life. The blueberry industry inthis area is dominated by the variety ‘Biloxi’ (not patented). ‘Biloxi’is one of the few traditional low chill varieties that grows well andproduces fruit with a good picking scar in this growing environment.However, ‘Biloxi’ often produces an excessive proportion of small,unmarketable fruit. ‘FCM14-052’ was exceptional because of its firm,mildly aromatic sweet flavored, large fruits with a small picking scar.‘FCM14-052’ also produces significant numbers of flower buds in a zerochill climate, resulting in a harvest window that is more concentratedthan ‘Biloxi’, which fruits more heavily on primocanes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Pedigree and History: The new blueberry plant originated from a cross of‘FL01-06’ (female parent, unpatented) by ‘FL06-556’ (pollen parent, U.S.Pat. No. 27,771).

The cross that produced ‘FCM14-052’ (denominated by the cross code‘X12-106’) was made in Lowell, Oreg., USA in 2012.

The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM14-052’ was initially propagated bysoftwood cuttings in 2014. Rooted plants from these cuttings were fieldplanted in Tala, Jalisco, Mexico during summer 2015 and also shipped toLowell, Oreg., USA in 2016. The plants sent to Lowell, Oreg. weresuccessfully used to establish in vitro culture lines in 2017.

The seedling family was planted in Tala, Jalisco, Mexico in 2013 andevaluated for fruit production and quality beginning in December 2013.‘FCM14-052’ was selected in 2014 because of its good fruit quality andits very concentrated ripening period in an evergreen, zero chillproduction system. After being selected, ‘FCM14-052’ was propagated bysoftwood cuttings and two plots of 5 plants per plot were established inTala, Mexico (near Guadalajara). The five-plant plots were evaluated forfruit quality and yield in comparison to the standard varieties ‘Biloxi’(not patented) and ‘Ventura’ (U.S. Pat. No. 24,606) beginning inDecember 2015. After three harvest seasons of evaluation, the yield andfruit quality of ‘FCM14-052’ were deemed sufficiently good to warrantlaunching it as a commercial variety.

The new blueberry plant ‘FCM14-052’ as it grows in Tala, Mexico isdistinguished by a medium branched growth habit, with wide spacedinternodes, and highly evergreen leaves resulting in a vase-shapedplant. The new blueberry plant ‘FCM14-052’ has new leaves that are oftenreddish-orange in hue and elliptic shape, urceolate flowers, and firm,large fruit with a moderately dark color and flattened shape. The newblueberry plant ‘FCM14-052’ consistently produces firmer fruit than thestandard variety ‘Biloxi’ (not patented), which is a very desirablecharacteristic.

Plants of ‘FCM14-052’ propagated from softwood cuttings or in vitro arephenotypically stable and exhibit the same characteristics as theoriginal plant. The parents ‘FL01-06’ (not patented) and ‘FL06-556’(U.S. Pat. No. 27,771) have not been evaluated in the same environmentof Mexico that ‘FCM14-052’ was selected in. In California, USA ‘FL01-06’was discarded after one season of evaluation because it did not growwell there. Very few other notes of the parent ‘FL01-06’ (not patented)exist, except the original selection notes for it from Lowell, Oreg.,where it was noted that it had a concentrated ripening period and firmfruit. The parent ‘FL06-556’ has been much more extensively evaluated.The parent ‘FL06-556’ is similar to the new blueberry plant ‘FCM14-052’in that it is very evergreen, with a medium branched growth habit andintermedia internodes. However, the leaves of ‘FCM14-052’ are much morerounded at the apex than leaves of the parent ‘FL06-556’ which have anacute apex. The fruit of ‘FCM14-052’ is similar in shape to the parent‘FL06-556’ but fruit of ‘FL06-556’ have a much heavier bloom resulting alighter blue color than ‘FCM14-052’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a mature plant of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala, Jalisco,Mexico and photographed on Oct. 2, 2017.

FIG. 2 depicts a young plant of ‘FCM14-052’ grown Tala, Jalisco, Mexicoand photographed on Mar. 21, 2016.

FIG. 3 depicts fruit of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala, Jalisco, Mexicophotographed on Dec. 28, 2015.

FIG. 4 depicts early fruit clusters of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala,Jalisco, Mexico and photographed on Oct. 2, 2017.

FIG. 5 depicts a mature plant of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala, Jalisco,Mexico and photographed on Sep. 26, 2018.

FIG. 6 depicts an early fruit cluster of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala,Jalisco, Mexico and photographed on Sep. 26, 2018.

FIG. 7 depicts a budding plant with early fruit clusters of ‘FCM14-052’grown in Tala, Jalisco, Mexico and photographed on Sep. 26, 2018.

FIG. 8 depicts early fruit clusters of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala,Jalisco, Mexico and photographed on Sep. 26, 2018.

FIG. 9 depicts fruit of ‘FCM14-052’ grown in Tala, Jalisco, Mexico andphotographed on Sep. 26, 2018.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘FCM14-052’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions of theoriginal selection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristicsare approximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. Allmeasurements are the average of five observations. The plant history wastaken on mature plants approximately 2 years of age, and thedescriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Tala, state ofJalisco, Mexico unless otherwise noted (observations on fall leaf colorand some other traits were collected on plants grown in Lowell, Oreg.).Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Tala,State of Jalisco, Mexico. Color designations are from “The Pantone Bookof Color” (by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbery, Harry N. Abrams,Inc., Publishers, New York 1990) unless noted otherwise. Where thePantone color designations differ from the colors in the photographs,the Pantone colors are accurate.

-   Variety:    -   -   Classification.—a. Family — Ericaceae. b. Genus —            Vaccinium. c. Species — corymbosum. d. Common Name —            Southern Highbush Blueberry.        -   Parentage.—a. Female Parent — ‘FL01-06’ (not patented). b.            Male Parent — ‘FL06-556’ (U.S. Pat. No. 27,771).        -   Market class.—Commercial blueberry variety intended for the            hand harvest fresh market.-   Plant:    -   -   General.—a. Parentage — Female parent ‘FL01-06’ (not            patented) Male parent ‘FL06-556’ (U.S. Pat. No. 27,771). b.            Plant height — Average of 132.8 cm. c. Plant width — Average            of 127.4 cm. d. Growth habit — Round. e. Growth —            Vigorous. f. Productivity — Medium, average of 2.1 kilos per            plant, per season on a 2 year old plant, compared to 1.86            kilos per plant per season for the commercial variety            ‘Biloxi’ (not patented). g. Cold hardiness — Not determined,            likely USDA zone 7 given southern highbush parentage. h.            Chilling requirement — Not determined, estimated at less            than 400 hours less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Capable of            fruiting well with zero chill hours when maintained in an            evergreen state of growth. i. Leafing — Excellent            leafing. j. Twigginess — Medium. k.            Resistance/susceptibility to root rot (Phytopthora            cinnamomii) — Does not appear to be overly susceptible. l.            Resistance/susceptibility to stem blight (Botryosphaeria            sp.) — Does not appear to be overly susceptible. m.            Resistance/susceptibility to Phomopsis Twig Blight            (Phomopsis vaccinii) — Not evaluated. n.            Resistance/susceptibility to Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) —            Does not appear to be overly susceptible. o.            Resistance/susceptibility to Leaf Spot (Septoria spp.) —            Does not appear to be overly susceptible. p.            Resistance/susceptibility to Leaf Rust (Naohidemyces            vaccinii) — Moderately susceptible to leaf rust. q.            Resistance/susceptibility to bud mites (Acalatus vaccinii) —            Not evaluated.-   Stem:    -   -   General.—a. Suckering tendency — Medium. b. Mature cane            color — Pantone color Maple Sugar 15-1316. c. Mature cane            length — Average of 109.4 cm. d. Mature cane width — Average            of 20.5 mm. e. Bark texture — Rough. f. Fall color on new            shoots — Pantone color Forest Green 17-0230. g. Surface            texture of new wood — Smooth. h. Internode length on strong,            new shoots — Average of 24.1 mm. i. Average number of buds            per fruiting lateral — Average of 6.4.-   Foliage:    -   -   General.—a. Time of beginning of leaf bud burst — Not            observed in Tala, Mexico. In Lowell, Oreg., late February to            early March. b. Leaf color (top side) — Pantone color Black            Forest 19-0315. c. Leaf color (under side) — Pantone colors            Mistletoe 16-0220 Fall leaf color — Pantone color Chive            19-0323. d. Leaf arrangement — Alternate. e. Leaf shape —            Elliptic. f. Leaf margins — Entire. g. Leaf venation —            Anastomosing. h. Leaf apices — Attenuate. i. Leaf bases —            Obtuse. j. Leaf length — Average of 61.5 mm. k. Leaf width —            Average of 30.6 mm. l. Leaf length/width ratio — 2.0            medium. m. Leaf nectaries — Absent. n. Pubescence of upper            side — Absent. o. Pubescence of lower side — Absent. p.            Cross sectional profile — Plane. q. Longitudinal profile —            Entire. r. Attitude — Ascending.        -   Petioles.—a. Length — Average of 6.828 mm. b. Width —            Average of 1.22 mm. c. Color — Pantone color Tarragon            15-0326. d. Surface texture — Smooth.-   Flowers:    -   -   General.—a. Time of beginning of flowering — In Tala, Mexico            approximately 110-120 days after pruning. b. Time of 50%            anthesis — In Tala, Mexico approximately 140-150 days after            pruning. c. Flower shape — Urceolate. d. Flower fragrance —            Faint. e. Immature flower color — Pantone color Frozen Dew            13-0513. f. Pollen Staining — 95% viable stained with            acetocarmine red. g. Self-compatibility — Medium, 42% of            self-pollinated flowers reaching maturity.        -   Corolla.—a. Color — Pantone color Angora 12-0605. b. Length            — Average of 8.26 mm. c. Width — Average of 7.32 mm. d.            Aperture width — Average of 3.78 mm. e. Anthocyanin            coloration of corolla at time of anthesis — In Tala, Mexico:            low. f. Corolla ridges — Present, distinct. g. Protrusion of            stigma — Average of 0.66 mm.        -   Inflorescence.—a. Length — Average of 17.1 mm. b. Diameter —            Average of 33.4 mm. c. Length of peduncle — Average of            15.2 mm. d. Surface texture of peduncle — Smooth. e. Color            of peduncle — Pantone color Leaf Green 15-0332. f. Length of            pedicel — Average of 5.1 mm. g. Surface texture of pedicel —            Smooth. h. Color of pedicel — Pantone Green Oasis            15-0538. i. Number of flowers per cluster — Average of            6.6. j. Flower cluster density — Low (loose).        -   Calyx (with sepals).—a. Diameter — Average of 5.1 mm. b.            Color (sepals) — Pantone color Mistletoe 16-0220. c. Calyx            surface — Smooth.        -   Stamen.—a. Length — Average of 5.17 mm. b. Number per flower            — 9.6. c. Filament color — Pantone color Green Banana            14-0434.        -   Pistil.—a. Length — Average of 9.77 mm. b. Ovary color            (exterior) — Pantone color Forest Green 17-0230. c. Style:            Length — Average of 8.98 mm.        -   Anther.—a. Length — Average of 6.7 mm. b. Number — 9.6. c.            Color — Pantone colors Nugget 16-1148 & Green Banana            14-0434.        -   Pollen.—a. Abundance — Abundant. b. Color — Pantone color            Cornsilk 13-0932.-   Fruit:    -   -   General.—a. Time of fruit ripening — Approximately October            15 in Tala, Mexico, depending on timing of previous            pruning. b. Time of 50% maturity — Approximately October 31            in Tala, Mexico, depending on timing of previous pruning. In            Lowell, Oreg.: June 12. c. Fruit development period —            Approximately 60 days from fruit set to ripe. d. Mean            harvest date — Approximately December 25 in Tala, Mexico            when plants were pruned the previous June. Dependent on            timing of previous pruning. e. Mean date last pick — Last            pick occurred on approximately January 1 in Tala, Mexico.            Dependent on timing of previous pruning. f. Cluster density            — Medium. g. Berries per cluster — Average of 7. h. Unripe            fruit color — Pantone color Lettuce Green 13-0324. i. Ripe            berry color — Pantone color Lavender Gray 17-3910. j. Berry            skin color after polishing — Pantone color Ebony 19-4104. k.            Berry surface wax abundance — Medium-low. l. Berry flesh            color — Pantone color hemp 14-0721. m. Berry weight —            Average of 3.6 g per berry. n. Berry height from calyx to            scar — Average of 15.55 mm. o. Berry diameter — Average of            19.73 mm. p. Calyx aperture — Average of 8.46 mm. q. Calyx            depth — Average of 0.37 mm. r. Pedicel length — Average of            6.83 mm. s. Pedicel surface texture — Smooth. t. Berry            detachment force — Medium, 1.5 Newtons. u. Berry shape —            Oblate. v. Fruit stem scar — Small, dry. w. Berry flavor —            Mild aromatic, sweet with low acidity. x. Sweetness when            ripe — Medium-high. y. Firmness when ripe — Very firm,            181.56 gr/mm. (1) Acidity when ripe — Medium-low, 1.132. (2)            Storage quality — Good. (3) Suitability for mechanical            harvesting — Not well suited. (4) Self-fruitfulness —            High. (5) Uses — Fresh market fruit production.-   Seed:    -   -   General.—a. Seed abundance in fruit — Medium, From 3 to 10            seeds per fruit under bad pollination and controlled            cross. b. Seed color — Pantone color Biscuit 16-336. c. Seed            dry weight — Average 0.41 mg. d. Seed length — Average of            2.03 mm.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

TABLE 1 Comparison Table State of State of Denomination Characteristicexpression expression of of for of similar candidate variety similarvariety comparison variety ‘FCM14-052’ ‘Biloxi’ Concentration VeryConcentrated (not patented) of production extended ‘Biloxi’ Yield HighMedium ‘Biloxi’ Fruit firmness Medium Very firm ‘Biloxi’ Plant vigorVery vigorous Vigorous ‘Biloxi’ Fruit size Small Medium-Large ‘Biloxi’Fruit color Light blue Medium light or medium dark blue

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘FCM14-052’substantially as illustrated and described herein.